Heckler und Koch HK G28 sniper rifle. Video: Heckler & Koch G11 assault rifle Heckler Koch rifle caliber 12.5

The Heckler&Koch SLB 2000 is an example of a utilitarian European semi-automatic weapon. Although it does not have an exquisite finish, it nevertheless differs from mass-produced North American firearms in its impeccable workmanship and excellent ergonomics, corresponding to all the canons of shooting art.

Semi-automatic carbine with detachable box magazine. The reloading mechanism operates on the principle of a gas engine, removing part of the powder gases from the barrel bore. Shutter with rotating cylinder. The stock is semi-pistol, with a steeply set, well-defined grip.

A set of external sighting devices consists of a Batyu rail or a folding rear sight and an open metal front sight on a high bracket. It is possible to install a Weaver or Picatinny rail, for which holes with metric threads are made on the receiver cover.

About what it isHeckler&Koch SLB 2000, this video will tell you:

Advantages and disadvantages

Almost legendary high quality workmanship, characteristic of all samples of the Heckler&Koch brand.

• Good shooting qualities, obtained not only due to the precision manufacturing quality of the barrel, but also the use of a bolt with a rotating cylinder, on which there are two rows of lugs, three in each. Thanks to this design solution, the breech locking density of the Heckler&Koch SLB 2000 is no worse than that of bolt-action rifles.
• The gas engine design consists of four parts: a piston, a return spring and two bolt carrier rods. Therefore, this semi-automatic is more reliable than both the Browning Bar and the Benelli Argo.
• However, the SLB 2000 cannot be called an expedition gun, which is capable of trouble-free operation without seeing a normal cleaning for months. Judging by reviews on the Internet, the only type of ammunition with which this carbine works flawlessly is Dynamite Nobel brand cartridges.
• The ergonomics of the weapon are well thought out, very comfortable for shooting from any position of the stock, all controls are accessible without any extra effort. It is relatively light and compact.
• The fuse box is located on the buttplate of the receiver; it can be operated without being distracted from the aiming line. The force on the trigger is adjustable. Its size is classic for hunting weapons - from 1.5 to 1.8 kilograms.
• The standard magazine capacity is five rounds, which is not typical for European semi-automatic weapons. However, it can optionally be equipped with a ten-round removable hopper. The cartridges are stacked in two rows, which speeds up the loading process.

A full set of external sighting devices and the ability to install a rail for optical sights makes this weapon universal, suitable for all types of hunting. The same can be said about the set of calibers offered by the manufacturer. The range from .308 Win to 300 WM allows you to choose a sample that is suitable for both roe deer and large bear.

Carbine HK 2000 SLB (photo)

Purpose

This is a weapon that can be used for running and driven hunts, as well as shooting from ambush and from storage sheds.

Varieties

The manufacturer offers the following set of calibers:

• 7 X 64 ,
• .308 Win,
• 30-06 Sprg,
• 9.3×62,
• and also 300 WM.

Three models: 2000 L, 2000 K and 2000 L Magnum. The latter has a different design - it is made of black plastic, on which the bipod is mounted. The stock of the Magnum model has a height-adjustable comb, and a compensator brake is installed on the muzzle.

Specifications

Design

• A self-loading repeating rifle that operates using the principle of a gas engine.
• The barrel is made of stainless steel, blued, the rifling is obtained by cold forging. Magnum models are equipped with a muzzle brake-compensator.
• The receiver is made of thick-walled aluminum, made by milling. The connection to the barrel is threaded. On the top edge of the cover there are holes for attaching a strap for optical sights.
• A bolt with a rotating cylinder having six lugs - two rows of three each.
• Trigger with the ability to adjust the trigger force from 1.5 to 1.8 kilograms. The fuse box is located on the buttplate of the receiver; it has two positions: Fire – all the way up, a red dot is visible; Stop – all the way down, a white dot is visible.
• The magazine is box-shaped, removable, double-row. The latch is located on the right side of the front branch of the trigger guard.
• After the last cartridge is fired, the shutter is delayed. To remove it, there is a lever with a corrugated prismatic button on the left side of the receiver.
• A set of sighting devices consists of a rear sight (can be either in the form of a Batyu rail or a shield with a slot), as well as a fixed open metal front sight on a high bracket. Magnum models are not equipped with them, they only have a Picatinny rail.
• The stock of the basic models is semi-pistol, made of Bavarian walnut wood. The butt plate is non-adjustable, with a shock-absorbing pad. Magnum models are equipped with a black plastic stock, the butt comb of which has an adjustable height, and the butt plate can be moved vertically. A bipod is attached to its fore-end.

UsageThe Heckler&Koch SLB 2000 carbine is demonstrated in this video:

Options and packaging

The weapon comes in a hard case. The delivery set may include a 10-round magazine, cleaning accessories, and an optical sight. Instructions for use and passport are included.

Operating principle

• Reloading of the weapon occurs due to the selection of part of the powder gases from the barrel. They act on the piston, which, through rods, pushes the bolt frame back, forcing the cylinder to turn and disengage the lugs from the barrel breech. With this movement, the cartridge case is removed and the striking mechanism is cocked. On the way back, the bolt frame picks up the cartridge from the magazine and sends it into the chamber. After the cartridges are used up, the bolt frame is delayed in the rearmost position.
• To load the magazine, press down the hopper latch lever located at the front branch of the trigger guard. The cartridges are stacked in two rows. The magazine is installed in the hopper first with the front edge, and then with the rear, after which it is pressed until it clicks.
• To feed a cartridge into the chamber, pull the bolt carrier back by grasping its handle. Then release it so that it returns under the action of the return mechanism spring. If you do not need to shoot immediately, put the weapon on safety by sliding the slider on the butt plate down until a white dot appears.
• If the bolt carrier is delayed, it can be returned to the forward position in two ways: remove the magazine; lower the lever located on the left side of the receiver, in front of the magazine hopper.

Heckler & Koch SLB 2000 Target

Disassembly

1. Unload the weapon by removing the magazine from the hopper and moving the bolt frame.
2. Using a hex key, unscrew the two screws on the bottom edge of the forend and remove it.
3. Using two (slotted on both sides of the receiver) hex wrenches, unscrew the two bolts holding the receiver halves.
4. Separate the upper half of the receiver assembly with the barrel and bolt frame.
5. Remove the two lock washers securing the bolt carrier rods to the piston.
6. Using a flathead screwdriver, press the bolt handle latch and remove it forward.
7. Remove the bolt carrier together with the rods from the receiver, remove the rods.
8. Unscrew the two screws securing the guide spring, remove it and remove the piston from the gas chamber.
9. Press the lock on the butt plate of the bolt stem, remove the pin, and remove the firing pin.
10. Remove the bolt cover.
11. Remove the larva.

Heckler und Koch G36/G36A2

HK G36 assault rifle with a 1.5X optical sight. The weapon is attached to dual transparent plastic magazines, attached to each other using side hooks, with a capacity of 30 rounds each

The HK G36 assault rifle in the standard version for the Bundeswehr - with a 3.5X optical sight and a red dot sight placed above it for close combat

A new version of the G36 - the G36A2 assault rifle can be equipped with a quick-release Zeiss RSA red dot sight mounted on a Picatinny rail, instead of the earlier version of the red dot sight for the G36. The G36A2 handguard has three Picatinny rails on the sides and bottom, and the fire control handle is equipped with an integrated Oerlikon Contraves LLM01 laser designator control switch. The G36A2 can also be equipped with a 40 mm AG36 grenade launcher from Heckler-Koch and a bayonet. The rifle can be used to fire rifle grenades.

Heckler & Koch Gewehr 36, G36 is a family of small arms developed in the early 1990s by the German company Heckler & Koch to replace the well-known HK G3 automatic rifle. From a mechanical design point of view, the weapon is a variant of the AR-18 rifle, developed in the early 1960s in the United States, but manufactured with extensive use of modern materials, including high-strength polymers for the receiver. The search for a replacement for the G3 began in 1970, when the tactical and technical requirements for the new machine gun were formulated. The contract for its development was awarded to Heckler & Koch, which over the course of 18 years created the G11 assault rifle chambered for a caseless cartridge. However, the G11 did not enter service, and in 1992 the Bundeswehr returned to the issue of replacing the HK G3.

There were the following reasons for this:

1. By the 90s, the armies of all leading countries switched to machine guns chambered for low-pulse cartridges. Only Germany remained committed to the 7.62x51 mm NATO cartridge, which by this time was already an anachronism. This also contradicted the NATO standardization program, where the 7.62x51 mm cartridge was recommended for single machine guns and sniper rifles.
2. The tasks of the Bundeswehr have changed. After the fall of the Iron Curtain, Germany's military doctrine changed radically. The primary goals of the Bundeswehr were peacekeeping and anti-terrorism operations, the fight against drug trafficking and smuggling. This required high reliability of the weapon in any climate: in the mountains and deserts, with heavy dust, and with a long absence of proper maintenance and lubrication. The heavy and bulky G3 was unsuitable for these purposes and conditions, and the efficiency of burst fire with such a powerful cartridge left much to be desired.
3. In addition to obsolescence, infantry weapon systems (P1, MP2, HK G3, ​​MG3) had physically exhausted their service life and required replacement. Resuming production of obsolete weapons systems to replace worn-out models was unwise.

The financial situation of the Bundeswehr in the early 90s was significantly different from the situation in the 70s and 80s, and therefore it was decided not to finance the development of new models of small arms, but to purchase models already available on the market. This was provided for by the tactical and technical requirements for the assault rifle and light machine gun developed on September 1, 1993. The selection of rifle models for participation in the competition was carried out by a special working group, which included representatives of the Air Force and Navy. The group selected 10 models of machine guns and 7 models of light machine guns. After the preliminary stage, 2 systems remained - the Austrian Steyr AUG and the German HK50. After conducting comparative tests at the WTD91 training ground, the military chose the HK50 rifle and the MG50 light machine gun (in-house designations G36 and MG36, respectively) based on it.

In 2015, the German Federal Government and Ministry of Defense admitted that the G36 has quite serious problems with accuracy and its use should be limited due to overheating during prolonged shooting or at high air temperatures.

Unlike previous developments that have semi-blowback automatics, the G36 has automatics similar to the American AR-18 rifles based on a gas engine with a short stroke of the gas piston. The barrel is locked by turning the bolt by 7 lugs, just like in the AR-18. The cocking handle located on the top of the receiver can be bent in both directions by approximately 90 degrees, ensuring ease of use of the weapon by both right-handed and left-handed people. In the stowed position, it is installed parallel to the axis of the weapon.

Attached to the receiver using transverse pins, the trigger mechanism is made in the form of a single unit with a pistol grip and trigger guard. The trigger mechanism itself has several options, differing in the possibility of firing bursts with a cut-off of 3 rounds. The fuse-translator of modes is a flag type, located on both sides of the weapon.

The machine's fittings are made of fiberglass-reinforced plastic. Due to the fact that the forend is attached to the receiver with pins, to partially disassemble the machine gun, you only need to press your fingers on the pins to push them out of the holes. The magazines are made of transparent plastic to control the consumption of ammunition, and also have special fastenings with which you can combine magazines in pairs to speed up reloading.

Sights are located at the rear of the carrying handle, located on the top side of the receiver, and include optical and red dot sights. The Hensoldt HKV optical sight has a simple optical system and has a 3.5× magnification. The correction scale and rangefinder reticle are marked up to 800 m. The Zeiss “red dot” collimator sight is equipped with a light-accumulating system that allows it to work in daylight without the use of power sources (for operation at night, a forced illumination powered by a battery is used). The collimator sight is mounted on the top of the optical sight and is used for shooting at a distance of up to 200 meters. The modern modification of the G36A2 has a standard Picatinny rail above the optical sight, on which the Zeiss RSA-S red dot sight is mounted. Export versions only have an optical sight with 1.5× magnification (optional 3×). Also, regardless of the modification, on the top of the carrying handle there are simple open sights (front sight and rear sight) molded integrally with the handle. The NSA-80 night module can be installed on the carrying handle, so that its optical output is combined with the lens of the optical sight, making it possible to use a standard aiming mark. The NSA-80 is mounted in a few seconds using a special rotary clamp and does not require zeroing.

The G36 can be equipped with an HK AG36 grenade launcher or a bayonet-knife (a copy of the bayonet knife of the AKM assault rifle), and it also has the ability to fire rifle grenades.

Advantages

Despite its rather large weight, for example, compared to the AK74 (3.6 and 3.2 kg, respectively), the G36 is heavier due to the stiffening ribs that are located along the entire length of the receiver and butt. This makes the design even more resistant to damage and deformation than the AK74.

The G36 rifle turned out to be a very well thought out and respectable design. When the military accepts rifles at a range of 100 m, the deviation of the STP of a series of 5 shots is allowed to be no more than 6 cm and the dispersion radius is not higher than 10 cm. The accuracy and accuracy of the G36 fire is better than these standards (at 100 m a series of shots gives a dispersion of ~ 3 cm).

It should be noted that the recoil is extremely low, making shooting even with automatic fire very comfortable. The bolt frame is made of light alloy, which reduces barrel toss when firing.

The pistol grip is very comfortable; it tapers slightly towards the top, which allows you to hold it more firmly even in wet hands, and a small protrusion at the base prevents your little finger from slipping off. The fuse is double-sided, three-position with a very soft action and clear informative activation. At the same time, it practically does not make any sounds, which does not reveal the shooter in silence.

The rifle magazine is made of transparent plastic; according to experts, it is more convenient to control the amount of ammunition. The magazines are also equipped with latches that allow them to be connected into pairs of two or more pieces.

Another plus of the G36 is ergonomics. The controls are conveniently located and are equally accessible for right and left hand operation. The cocking handle is foldable and does not interfere with carrying the weapon, and there is also no risk of getting caught in it and accidentally pulling the bolt back.

The rifle has very few protruding parts. The optical sight is located low, but is quite convenient for aiming, since shooting with it is mainly carried out from a prone position. On the contrary, the upper location of the collimator is favorable when shooting while standing and kneeling. Thanks to the use of plastics, the G36 is one of the lightest automatic machines.

The rate of fire is approximately 750 rounds/min, which is optimal for rifles of this class.

The rifle is built according to the pseudo-modular type, all parts are connected using pins. No tools other than a chuck are required for disassembly. For routine maintenance and cleaning, partial disassembly is sufficient.

Flaws

The rifle, made primarily of plastic polymer, weighs quite heavily, weighing 3.6 kg without ammunition. For example, the AK74, with more metal in its design, weighs only 3.2 kg.

The disadvantage of the translucent plastic magazines used in the G36 is the thinness of the plastic and, as a result, its fragility in severe frost. Impacts cause cracks to form or whole pieces break off, and the magazines themselves are deformed, which leads to the cartridge being misaligned during feeding into the chamber. However, the rifle can also use opaque aluminum magazines.

Another disadvantage (in versions with a standard handguard) is the strong heating of the handguard during intense shooting (there is no reflector screen, like in the AK74, inside the handguard, however, unlike the AK74, this rifle does not have a tendency to heat up to the level of fire, which is an advantage AK74 is in doubt)

The butt lock button is located on the left, and is a little inconvenient due to its “recessed” placement, and the dressing package completely refuses to fit into the slot of the butt, which, however, is a dubious disadvantage since most small arms are not designed to carry dressing packages.

(For options with built-in sights instead of a Picatinny rail) The built-in optical sight gets knocked down with frequent impacts on the rifle and has to be constantly adjusted for accurate combat, and in the rain it fogs up slightly, but it fogs up, which impairs aiming at distances beyond 200 meters. Using another built-in sight, a collimator sight, is very inconvenient; the viewing angle of this sight is quite small, and this does not allow normal control of the surrounding space in battle.

The flash hider on the rifle is of average effectiveness and is only used to protect the cut of the barrel.

The gas piston fits quite tightly to the wall of the gas chamber, and in the absence of a gas regulator, this has a bad effect on the unpretentiousness of the rifle. Therefore, after 3-4 thousand shots without cleaning, the G36 rifle sometimes jams (especially if the ammunition is damp, although it’s not clear who, in principle, is going to fire 3 thousand shots from a rifle without cleaning the weapon; for comparison, barrel survivability of 20,000 shots is already considered very good for a rifle) .

The inconvenient location of the barrel and gas chamber makes it necessary to spend a lot of time cleaning them well. And the absence of a cleaning rod (it is absent in the machine gun and is in the maintenance kit) will not allow cleaning this weapon at all. If dirt gets into the trigger, all that remains is to replace it or wash it with gasoline (kerosene, diesel fuel); it is simply impossible to disassemble the unit in field conditions for normal cleaning.

Also, despite its shortcomings, the G36 is one of the most expensive modern automatic machines.

Overheating

In April 2012, reviews appeared from the German military that the G36 rifles used in Afghanistan overheated in the fore-end area during prolonged firefights, since 150 rounds of ammunition were continuously fired. Overheating affects the G36's accuracy, making it difficult to hit targets beyond 100 meters, rendering the rifle ineffective beyond 200 meters, and unable to fire effectively beyond 300 meters. In addition, the risk of misalignment and jamming of small arms, as well as the likelihood of severe burns, increases significantly.

The G36 series rifles were described as not being able to withstand prolonged firefights. HK representatives stated that the rifle was not designed for continuous, sustained fire.

The command of German military operations in Afghanistan has issued instructions to military personnel requiring mandatory cooling of Heckler & Koch G36 assault rifles. According to the new instructions, after a long period of shooting, a soldier must allow the barrel of the weapon to cool enough to touch it without getting burned. By complying with this requirement, possible injury can be avoided, as well as a reduction in the effectiveness of the G36 fire.

The real reason

Accuracy at a range of 300 meters dropped by 30% (2012). In December 2013, the company Metallwerk Elisenhütte, which for a long time supplied ammunition to the German army and police, took the blame for the reasons for the rapid overheating of the HK G36 barrels. After lengthy investigations by independent experts Ernst-Mach-Institut and Fraunhofer Society, uniform supplies (to German troops in Afghanistan) of cartridges from different manufacturers (including defective and low-quality ones) are the cause of overheating of rifles (which is quite logical, since when firing low-quality cartridges, an overestimated barrel temperature). And since the bore is chrome-plated, such rapid overheating due to the barrel itself is unlikely.

The G36 rifle itself is structurally reliable and free of defects. It fully complies with the requirements of the German army (as evidenced, for example, by the test results during which this rifle was adopted by the German army, although the MP-40 was also adopted by the German army, but in reality jammed due to dirt adhering to the oil and when filling magazine for more than 28 rounds).

Also, the German army once again ordered supplies of G36 rifles from Heckler & Koch.

In June 2014, purchases of new batches of rifles were suspended. In 2015, after months of investigation, the federal government officially acknowledged accuracy problems with the G36 rifle, regardless of the quality of the ammunition used. It turned out that during intense shooting in hot climates, critical deformation of the plastic body of the weapon can occur.

Options

Basic:
G36 - basic version, automatic rifle.
G36K (Kurz) - a shortened version, an automatic rifle with a barrel length of 318 mm.
G36C (Compact) - an assault rifle with a 228 mm barrel and a Picatinny rail for mounting various sights instead of a carrying handle.

Upgraded:
G36A1 - modernized version. Supplied to troops since 2002.
G36A2 - the second modernization of the rifle (2004). It has a new collimator sight and a modified handguard with a rail for mounting tactical accessories (usually an LLM-01 laser laser).
G36KA1 and G36KA2 are modernized shortened versions. Picatinny rail, accessory rail under the forend, a muffler can be installed. Unlike the KA2, the KA1 variant does not have a built-in optical sight.

Export:
G36V and G36KV (previously designated as G36E and G36KE) are export versions, distinguished by the presence of only a 1.5X optical sight.
G36KV2 - export version of the G36K, characterized by the installation of a “high” picatinny rail instead of a carrying handle on top of the receiver. The guide is not equipped with any sighting devices, but instead a thin longitudinal groove is used. In addition, on the KV2 modification, a “cheek rest” is installed on the standard frame stock.
G36KV3 - the most non-standard export version of the G36, distinguished by a 16-inch barrel (407 mm, for the regular G36 - 480, and for the G36K - 318) with a standard slotted flash hider and bayonet mount; modified gas outlet unit; “low” picatinny rail made of aluminum with folding non-removable sights, including a front sight and a diopter; as well as a telescopic folding stock.
G36KA4 - an export version in service with the Lithuanian army, differs from the standard G36 by the installation of an aluminum forend and an aluminum picatinny rail with integrated sights, manufactured by Brugger & Thomet.

Other:
HK MG36 - light machine gun based on the G36. It has a weighted barrel near the chamber and bipod. Several hundred were produced in 1995 and serial production was canceled the same year due to dissatisfaction among Bundeswehr soldiers with the duration of continuous fire.
HK SL8 is a self-loading rifle for the civilian market.
HK SL9SD is a suppressed sniper rifle, based on the SL8, chambered for the 7.62x37mm cartridge (developed by H&K based on the .300 Whisper cartridge). A silencer not only reduces the sound of a gunshot, but also modifies it so that it does not sound like a normal gunshot. Used by the German special forces GSG 9.
HK243 S SAR (Semi Automatic Rifle) and HK243 S TAR (Tactical Automatic Rifle) are self-loading rifles for the civilian market. They differ from each other in the butt (folding adjustable in length for the TAR and folding non-adjustable for the SAR), the forend (the presence of Picatinny rails for the TAR), and the flash suppressor (not available for the SAR).

Heckler&Koch

Fighters! The "Great Gunsmiths" section continues to tell you about famous firearms designers. Today our guest is the legendary German company "Heckler&Koch", whose fame has spread all over the world.

Marauders

"H&K" is a relatively young company, founded on December 28, 1949 by German engineers Edmund Heckler, Theodor Koch and Alex Sidel in the city of Oberndorf am Neckar. Before this, all three designers worked at the Mauser plant, where they gained extensive experience in the arms business. The enterprise of Peter Paul and Wilhelm Mauser was destroyed by French troops towards the end of World War II, so the engineers based their production on equipment that was saved from destruction.

First legend

The first years of activity of Heckler & Koch are notable for the fact that the company was engaged in the production of small household appliances, sewing machines, measuring and engineering equipment. But everything changed in 1956, when the Bundeswehr (German armed forces) needed new weapons, and the leadership announced a state tender to replace the Belgian FN FAL. As you might guess, the H&K company won, offering everyone the well-known G3 assault rifle, which, in turn, was created on the basis of the Spanish CETME rifle. The weapon had a low cost due to the fact that stamping was used during production, and during the design, H&K engineers took the developments of the Mauser company as a basis.

Entering service in 47 countries, the G3 became a real hit of its time. And this is not surprising - Heckler and Sidel studied weapons making from the Mauser brothers, and Theodor Koch at one time studied precision mechanics, so the success of the rifle was guaranteed. The design turned out to be so successful that the weapon was produced until 2001, despite the fact that back in 1995 the Bundeswehr switched to the new HK G36 assault rifle.

Derivatives

Based on the HK G3, ​​the G3SG1, PSG-1 and MSG90 sniper rifles were created, which were used by both civilians and the military. Also worth mentioning are the HK21 machine gun and the legendary MP5 submachine gun, released by the company in 1966 as a smaller copy of the HK G3 chambered for the 9x19 mm Parabellum cartridge. The new machine gun attracted the attention of the German special forces unit GSG 9, thanks to which the MP5 gradually gained popularity among other intelligence agencies around the world. Currently, there are more than 10 varieties of submachine guns, which can be quickly customized and modified, depending on the assigned combat mission. An interesting fact is that the MP5 is not in service with the Bundeswehr, which uses the Israeli ultrasound.

Hi-tech

At the end of the 60s, the Heckler & Koch company began creating a fundamentally new G11 rifle. The weapon was designed according to the “bull-pup” design and used a caseless cartridge as a charge. However, the tense situation within the country, international NATO standards for the unification of ammunition and the lack of government orders for the finished G11 caused the closure of the project and large financial losses for the company. You can read more about this in our special article dedicated to the HK G11 rifle:

Ups and downs

The Royal Ordnance concern was able to save H&K from bankruptcy, which acquired the company in 1991, and by 2000 entrusted it with the modernization of the new L85A1 assault rifles. From 1994 to 1995, Heckler&Koch worked on a government order for the creation and production of an assault rifle for the Bundeswehr, according to updated requirements. As a result, German engineers developed Project HK50, later designated HK G36. The rifle turned out to be extremely successful due to the use of durable polymers in its body, as well as the design features of the automation inherent in most of the company’s creations. By 2002, largely thanks to the adoption of the G36 and, as a consequence, orders for rifle supplies, the company was bought out by the HK Beteiligungs-GmbH holding.

The commercial success of Heckler&Koch was also facilitated by the creation of a line of pistols and submachine guns, which later became the “calling card” of the company:

Heavy weapons

In addition to firearms, Heckler&Koch has developed several grenade launchers, which were appreciated by the military of many countries. Thus, the well-known M320, created as an alternative to the M203 under-barrel grenade launcher, can also be used as a separate weapon. At the same time, the H&K launcher has a built-in night vision device, a laser range finder, as well as a number of other design features that distinguish the M320 from its competitors.

The most interesting in the company's line of heavy weapons is the XM-25 self-loading hand grenade launcher. So far, the weapon is undergoing military tests, including in real combat conditions - several samples were used by American soldiers in Afghanistan, who noted the good combat effectiveness of the grenade launcher. However, the XM-25 weapon is not cheap - the first hand-assembled copies cost about 35 thousand dollars, and reducing the price to 25 thousand, if mass production is organized, will not solve the problem of high cost, so there is no need to talk about the widespread use of the grenade launcher in the army.

New era

The latest most famous and successful developments of Heckler&Koch are: the XM8 small arms complex, as well as the HK416 and HK417 assault rifles, which were developed at the same time.

It is interesting that the XM8 gained wide popularity only as an assault rifle, while the series includes a submachine gun, a sniper rifle and even a machine gun. It is known that the rifle complex, designed on the basis of the HK G36, is the fruit of cooperation between the German H&K and the American ATK (Alliant Techsystems). In 2004, the rifle successfully passed tests and by 2005 was supposed to enter service with the US Army, but the commercial war of competitors who wanted to get a government tender for the supply of weapons forced the command of the Armed Forces to announce an additional competition, which was soon stopped for several reasons. As a result of this process, a promising and generally good project was closed, thereby becoming a victim of military intrigue and unfair competition. At the moment, the fate of the rifle complex is unknown.

In parallel with the XM8, Heckler&Koch developed the NK416, an assault rifle more familiar to US law enforcement officers, chambered for the 5.56x45 NATO caliber. Some design features, design and ergonomics of the American M4 and M16 samples were taken as a basis, which was reflected in the name of the new weapon. Largely thanks to this decision, the company was able to conclude a contract to supply its product to the US Army - when destroying Osama Bin Laden, Navy SEALs used NK416.

However, the new rifle is a clone of famous American guns only in appearance - German engineers did a fair amount of work on the internal mechanisms of the weapon, using their best technical solutions and developments. The result justified itself - the NK416 barrel alone can withstand more than 20 thousand shots. The rifle entered service by 2005, and in 2007 the NK417 saw the light of day, using a more powerful cartridge - 7.62x51 NATO. Thus, H&K was able to recover from the failure associated with XM8. Moreover, the company has squeezed out its competitors - the Belgian Fabrique Nationale, which has launched large supplies of its newest FN SCAR assault rifle to the US Army.

Modern realities

Over its short history, Heckler&Koch has loudly declared itself by releasing many weapons, each of which has become a legend. However, the company's reputation is spoiled from time to time by various kinds of scandals. For example, in 2011, information was made public that HK G36 KV assault rifles were found in the possession of Libyan rebels who captured Tripoli and the residence of Muammar Gaddafi, who took them from the palace guards. It was alleged that H&K sold its assault rifles to the leader's fighters, thereby violating German law prohibiting the export of weapons to countries where fighting is taking place.

« Heckler& Koch" AndCombatArms

Combat Arms has many Heckler&Koch weapons:

Heckler und Koch HK G28 sniper rifle (Germany)

Heckler und Koch HK G28 sniper rifle in standard version

Heckler und Koch HK G28 sniper rifle in a lightweight Patrol version

The Heckler und Koch HK G28 sniper rifle was designed and produced by order of the Bundeswehr by the German company Heckler-Koch. This weapon appeared as a result of the requirements of the German troops fighting in Afghanistan. This rifle performs the function of supporting small infantry units. The HK G28 sniper rifle was developed on the basis of the HK MR308 sports and hunting self-loading rifle, which in turn is a civilian version of the HK417 automatic rifle. The Heckler und Koch HK G28 sniper rifle in its concept is an analogue of the Soviet Dragunov SVD sniper rifle.

The automation of the Heckler und Koch HK G28 sniper rifle operates using gas-operated automatics with a short stroke of the gas piston and a rotating bolt. Reliable operation of the weapon both in conventional and with the use of a shot silencer is ensured by a two-position gas regulator. The trigger mechanism allows you to fire only single shots. The barrel is cantilevered inside the forend. The rifle receiver consists of two halves. The upper one is made of steel, and the lower one is made of aluminum alloy. Cartridges are fed from detachable box magazines with a capacity of 10 or 20 rounds.

The Heckler-Koch XK G28 rifle allows infantry to fire effectively at distances of about 400 meters and beyond that are inaccessible to standard 5.56 mm assault rifles. Especially if the use of more powerful support weapons, such as machine guns, mortars, or artillery is impossible for some reason or is unavailable. For the Heckler-Koch XK G28 sniper rifle, the accuracy of groups of 10 firing shots is guaranteed by the manufacturer to be at least 1.5 MOA (minutes of angle). When conducting aimed shooting at a chest target, the declared effective range is up to 600 meters, and when shooting at a height target - up to 800 meters.

The Heckler und Koch HK G28 sniper rifle can be used in two versions, which can be changed at the army base. This is the standard version and the lightweight Patrol. The standard version of the HK G28 rifle has an extended forend, a folding bipod, a telescopic adjustable buttstock with a cheekpiece, as well as a Schmidt & Bender RMP 3-20x50 optical sight, plus a laser rangefinder mounted on it. The Patrol variant is used in foot raids. In it, the rifle is equipped with a shortened and lightweight forend, a lightweight adjustable buttstock without a cheekpiece and a Schmidt & Bender RMP 1-8x24 sight. In addition, the Heckler und Koch HK G28 sniper rifle can be equipped with various night sights and laser designators.

The US Department of Defense was dissatisfied with the American M110 sniper rifles and is purchasing a new batch of “long-range” weapons – this time made in Germany. The portal guns.com reported the signing of a contract between the American military department and Heckler & Koch for the supply of compact semi-automatic sniper systems (Compact Semi-Automatic Sniper System, CSASS). The contract does not specify which rifles will be supplied to the American armed forces, but it is known that only one weapon model produced by Heckler & Koch meets the requirements of the US Department of Defense - the G28 rifle.

According to the agreement, the first “trial” delivery will consist of 30 rifles and a set of accessories for them. During testing, representatives of the US Department of Defense will determine the optimal configuration and set of additional options for the new weapon. In the future, 3,643 rifles will be purchased for the American army in the amount of $44.5 million (about $12,000 per unit). The contract amount includes the supply of additional accessories (to be selected during testing) and replacement parts, warranty service, as well as basic training for soldiers to work with the new weapon system.

M110 rifles manufactured by Knight's Armament Company entered mass production in 2005, and into service with the US Army in 2008. The US Department of Defense purchased 4492 rifles, which were actively used by US Army units in Afghanistan and Iraq. Soldiers who used the M110 in combat conditions, they complained about the low accuracy, unreliability and fragility of the M110 (after 500 shots, the accuracy of fire sharply decreased). Therefore, in 2014, the US Department of Defense announced a new tender for the purchase of compact semi-automatic sniper rifles of .308 Win caliber (7.62 × 51 NATO), which can be effectively used for shooting from distances up to 1000 m, and will also be lighter and more compact than the M110.

Technical characteristics of the HK G28 rifle

Caliber: 7.62×51 (.308 Winchester)

Weapon length: 1082/965 mm

Barrel length: 420 mm

Weapon width: 78 mm

Weapon height: 340 mm

Weight without cartridges: 5.8 (standard) / 5.3 (Patrol) kg.

Magazine capacity: 10 or 20 rounds

Sniper rifles

Description

Hunting and sports semi-automatic carbine, built on the basis of the army model HK416. A special feature of the carbine is its modular design, similar to that of the M16 automatic rifle, but differing in the automatic gas system with a short stroke of the gas piston.
The barrel is made by cold forging and has threads for installing a muzzle brake. The receiver is made of aluminum alloy. The stock is a sliding telescopic one. Single-shot shooting accuracy is on the order of one arc minute when using appropriate cartridges.
Characteristics:
1. Caliber: .223Rem
2. Length, mm: 830-930 mm
3. Barrel length, mm: 420 mm
4. Rifling: 6 right-hand rifling
5. Rifling pitch: 7" (178 mm)
6. Weight, kg: 3.7 kg
7. Operating principle: removal of powder gases, rotary bolt
8. Telescopic five-position buttstock
9. Handguard RIS
10. Magazine capacity: 10 rounds
Bought new in Kolchuga at the end of 2013. Only fired 10 shots. The optics have not been installed, the carbine has not been used at all, it is in new condition. Not even the slightest scratch. Call us and we'll negotiate a price.